Five Resume Myths That Are Hurting Your Job Search

Creating a resume is often the first step in your job search. You put time, effort, and resources into showcasing your best qualifications in one page that will tell employers you’re the perfect fit for their opening. You send out dozens of resumes, and constantly check your inbox for interview invitations…but after two weeks, you haven’t heard from a single employer. What happened? Here are five huge resume myths that job seekers fall into, and how to avoid these misunderstandings. 

Myth #1: “The purpose of a resume is to get me a job.” 

This mindset is problematic because it focuses on you as a job seeker, and not on the employer. You want to appeal to the hiring manager with your resume, and let them know how hiring you will fulfill their needs for the position, rather than your need for a job. “What decision-makers want,” career columnist Katy Piotrowski explains, “is a solution to their problem.”

You can do this by carefully tailoring your resume to the job listing. What does the ideal candidate look like for your employer? Read the job description carefully, and pull out key words or phrases to include in your resume. Market yourself through your resume in a way that proves the employer needs you. 

Myth #2: “Recruiters will usually read my resume.” 

Most of us want to believe that if we take the time to create and send in our resume, the employer will take the time to read it. Sadly, this is far from the truth. 

Recruiters sometimes receive hundreds of resumes for a single job posting, and it’s their job to comb through them to identify the most qualified candidates. Consequently, they end up glancing at your resume quickly rather than carefully reading through it. In some cases, resumes are filtered out using automatic scanners before a human recruiter ever looks at them.
Once again, this highlights how important it is to adjust your resume for a specific position. The recruiter is quickly scanning for those key words. If they aren’t on your resume, you’re out. 

Myth #3: “It’s okay to pad my resume...just a little.” 

So you listed four years of experience instead of the three you actually have. Or you counted that one time you helped fix your friends computer as “computer repair experience.” A little resume padding never hurt anyone, right? 
Wrong. 

You should never lie on your resume, no matter how inconsequential the lie may seem. It might help you get initial attention from the recruiter, but as soon as they conduct a background check and find
even a hint of dishonesty from you, you’ll lost any chance you had of working with them – both now and in the future. “Your resume must be error-free,” states a Rockport Institute article on resume writing. “Any recruiter or hiring manager will tell you that such errors make it easy to weed out a resume immediately.”

Myth #4: “My resume is just a piece of paper describing me.” 

Actually, the resume is you until you meet the recruiter in person. The only information they have about you is what you put on that piece of paper, which can reflect poorly on you if you’re resume isn’t precise and professional. Put your best foot forward, avoid grammatical mistakes, and pay close attention to every detail. 

In addition to this, make sure the contact information on your resume is correct and up to date. The recruiter can’t reach out to you if your phone number is incorrect. 

Myth #5: “My resume isn’t important. My interview is.”

Yes, your interview with an employer is extremely important and should be prepared for carefully. But first things first…you need to convince an employer that you’re a strong enough candidate to invest that kind of time into.  

Recruiters are selective with the number of candidates they interview because each requires time to set up an interview, prepare interview questions, conduct the interview, and follow up with reference and background checks. In fact, Forbes shares that according to some studies, only 20% of applicants are asked to interview. A strong resume helps you fall into that percentage. Without one, the interview opportunity doesn’t exist. 

Keeping these five resume myths in mind during your next job search will give you an edge over the competition and help you secure more interviews. Remember that recruiters are hoping to find the perfect candidate for the position. Let your resume prove that it’s you.